Verbascum plant named ‘Gold Nugget’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Verbascum  plant characterized by numerous yellow flowers with red eyes, on upright, branching flowering stems, and excellent vigor. The foliage is colored a soft silver gray. The habit is compact.

Botanical classification: Verbascum hybrid ((V. phoeniceum×dumulosum)×V.bombyciferum ‘Arctic Summer’).

Variety denomination: ‘Gold Nugget’.

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofVerbascum hybrid, and given the cultivar name ‘Gold Nugget’. Verbascumis in the family Scrophulariaceae.

This new cultivar originated as a controlled cross in a cultivated areabetween Verbascum ‘Jackie’ (an unpatented plant) as the seed parent andVerbascum bombyciferum ‘Arctic Summer’ (an unpatented plant) as thepollen parent. Verbascum ‘Jackie’ is a cross between Verbascumphoeniceum and Verbascum dumulosum.

This new Verbascum hybrid is unique in its large gold colored flowerswith bright red eyes combined with its short, multiple flowering stemsand silvery leaves.

This plant is characterized by the following:

-   -   1. Large yellow flowers with bright red eyes.    -   2. Numerous upright, branching flowering stems.    -   3. Large, soft silver gray leaves.    -   4. Short flowering stems.    -   5. Small habit.    -   6. Excellent vigor.

This new cultivar has been reproduced only by asexual propagation(division and tissue culture). Each of the progeny exhibits identicalcharacteristics to the original plant. Asexual propagation by divisionand tissue culture using standard micropropagation techniques withterminal and lateral shoots, as done in Canby, Oreg., shows that theforegoing characteristics and distinctions come true to form and areestablished and transmitted through succeeding propagations. The presentinvention has not been evaluated under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary with variations in environmentwithout change in the genotype of the plant.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The photograph shows the whole plant of a one year old Verbascum ‘GoldNugget’ grown in the ground in the trail field in bloom in summer.

DETAILED PLANT DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of the new Verbascum selectionbased on observations of one-year-old specimens grown in the ground infull sun under typical outdoor conditions in Canby, Oreg. Canby in Zone8 on the USDA Hardiness map. Temperatures range from a high of 95degrees F. in August to an average of 32 degrees F. in January. Normalrainfall in Canby is 42.8 inches per year in the trial fields in Canby,Oreg. The color descriptions are all based on The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart.

-   Plant:    -   -   Type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Form.—Clumping basal rosette.        -   Hardiness.—U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zones 6-9.        -   Size.—15 cm tall and 26 cm wide, not including            inflorescence.        -   Vigor.—Excellent.        -   Roots.—Fibrous, with many downward growing and few laterals,            ivory in color, Yellow White 158D. Roots develop slowly from            cuttings from the crown.-   Leaf:    -   -   Type.—Simple.        -   Arrangement.—Basal.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Blade size.—Grows to 16 cm long and 8.5 cm wide.        -   Venation.—Pinnate.        -   Margins.—Crenate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Texture.—Leathery, fuzzy.        -   Surface.Stellate pubescent on both sides.        -   Petiole.—Length — grows to 5 cm. Width — grows to 6 mm.            Surface — densely stellate pubescent. Color —Yellow Green            145C.        -   Leaf color.—Top side — between Yellow Green 147A and Greyed            Green 191A with lighter main vein, Yellow Green 145C. Bottom            side — Yellow Green 147B with lighter netted veins Yellow            Green 145C.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Type.—Panicle.        -   Total panicle size.—14 cm wide and 30 cm high (where flowers            are).        -   Number of panicles per plant.—5.        -   Cauline leaves.—Usually 10 in 3.5 cm internodes, lower            leaves petiolate, 3 cm to 14 cm long and 2 to 4.7 cm wide            (including petioles), ovate, with tips acute, margins            crenate, densely stellate pubescent, color the same as the            basal leaves.        -   Flower number.—Count of 100 to 170 flowers on one panicle.        -   Peduncle.—Height — Grows to 52 cm. Diameter — 10 mm near            base. Surface — Densely stellate pubescent. Color — Yellow            Green 147C.        -   Pedicel.—Length — Grows to 8 mm. Surface — Densely stellate            pubescent. Color — Yellow Green 145C.        -   Bloom time.—May through August in Canby, Oreg.-   Flower Bud:    -   -   Size.—12 mm wide and 11 mm deep.        -   Description.—Pentagonal cushion.        -   Surface.—Stellate pubescent.        -   Color.—Greyed Orange 165B.-   Flower:    -   -   Type.—Perfect, complete, irregular.        -   Shape.—Rotate, irregular, short tubular.        -   Size.—4 cm wide and 12 mm deep including stamens.        -   Color.—Yellow 9B on both sides, with the center of the            inside of the corolla eyed, Greyed Purple 183B.        -   Corolla description.—5 overlapping lobes, margins entire,            apex obtuse, glabrous on top side, glandular on bottom side,            4 cm wide and 7 mm deep, slightly cupped.        -   Calyx description.—5 lobes, 9 mm wide and 6 mm deep, densely            stellate pubescent and glandular on back side, glandular            inside, Yellow Green 147B on both sides.        -   Stamen.—5, the three top stamen are 11 mm long, the lower            two are 12 mm long, all are heavily bearded from the bottom            with Purple 79B, the bottom three are bearded with White            155B at the top of the filaments, the top of the top two            filaments is Orange 22A and not bearded; anthers are kidney            shaped and Orange 22A; pollen is Orange 25A.        -   Pistil.—17 mm long, ovary is 2.5 mm long and Green 138D,            style is 13 mm long and Yellow Green 147C to 147D, stigma is            Yellow Green 147A.        -   Fragrance.—None.-   Fertility: Sterile, no fruit or seed produced.-   Disease and pests: Verbascum are susceptible to fungal leaf spots    and root rots. They need good drainage. Caterpillars may be a    problem.

COMPARISONS

Compared to Verbascum bombyciferum ‘Arctic Summer’ (unpatented), thepollen parent, Verbascum ‘Gold Nugget’ has darker flowers, smallergreener leaves, much more branching, and is much shorter.

Compared to Verbascum ‘Jackie’ (unpatented), the seed parent, Verbascum‘Gold Nugget’ has flowers that are yellow with red eyes rather than palepeach and leaves that are silver gray rather than green.

‘GOLD NUGGET’ has yellow flowers (RHS 9B) with bright red eyes (RHS183B) and the top of the leaves is silver-gray (between RHS 147A and191A). In contrast, ‘LEMON SORBET’ has yellow flowers (RHS 14A, tingedwith RHS 22A) and the top of the leaves is green (RHS 146B).

1. A new and distinct Verbascum plant as herein illustrated anddescribed.